Working Abroad: A bittersweet challenge

 Aakanksha Pasricha

 Aakanksha has been extensively researching about the job market in global region. When she isn’t writing she browses around the high streets as she definitely has an eye for details. You can visit her @ G+

Working abroad is a dream or can be a popular choice for many. Earning bread and butter overseas can be very fruitful both professionally and personally. Having worked in overseas, one learns a great deal on how to handle multitude of things, deal with pressure, manage different situations successfully, and think independently with a widen horizon. Whereas some people choose working abroad as a step to fortify their careers, others go this route to escape unstable economic conditions, and ensure that they can earn sufficiently to support their families.

However, looking at the brighter side, taking up an opportunity in a foreign land can definitely place you ahead of the curve as even the shortest of stints of working in a foreign land can prove to be very constructive. This can provide you with an opportunity to expand your horizons, add a different perspective to the way you perceive and communicate, hence making you an effective professional regardless of your expertise.
Working abroad also helps an individual become more nimble and adaptive to change; it provides exposure to different cultures and people which enhances individual’s people and communication skills. The aforementioned skills enable a person to network more efficiently and realize importance of building relationships, a skill that is regarded as one of the most important and absolutely necessary to succeed. A person working in a foreign land can learn the art of dealing and living in a multicultural environment, hence becoming more appreciative of different styles of working, different approaches and different people. In other words, it is like – complete professional with skills that include readiness to change, problem solving, good interpersonal skills, out of box thinking, fast and efficient, structured, and last but not the least, networking.

However, all the above positives are based on one, very important assumption – you land in a country that is developed, and has ample opportunities in your area of expertise, and last but not the least, you get to the new country with a strong plan, be it be about your future, or your current living situation.
The following section provides some information on vital things that will guide you on this journey to the foreign country. Weigh them as per your preference.

Making correct decision
Working abroad is a bittersweet decision -it involves leaving your family, dear ones and home country behind in order to get ahead in your area of expertise. Hence this decision should be made with a great deal of thought and clarity. You need to clearly weigh your options, analyse both scenarios, and weigh their pros and cons before choosing one over the other. Making a correct decision is very important as it can make or break your life because of various reasons. Going abroad requires substantial investment hence making this decision almost irreversible.
Also, a half-hearted decision is dangerous as an effort less than your calibre will not yield the desired results, hence taking away the spark from working abroad. And finally making a wrong decision will make you lose something more precious than money – time. Therefore, detailed research work and a good dialogue with family and organization is absolutely necessary before proceeding in the direction of working abroad.

Looking up for the legal issues
After you have made the decision of going abroad and working there, the second important step is to study the laws and understand the requirements of immigration of the country you choosing. Work permits, visas, duration of visits should be checked in advance. Employees should have a complete knowledge about the employment schemes, company profile and other factors like insurance schemes, health schemes, transport medium, house allowances, salary structure, pension schemes, taxes, and related areas. A complete knowledge about the country you are moving in will make your stay better and more convenient.

Foreign culture
Moving to a new country will change your life as underlined above. You will get to meet new people, and learn their culture. Therefore, it will add on to your CV if you can learn the native language of the country you intend to go and work in. A medium to good proficiency will make you more comfortable, and hence help you connect with the nationals easily. Additionally, updating yourself with new local tourist spots, weather conditions, food, and culture will ease your transition into the foreign country. Moreover, this effort to aquatint yourself with the local culture and language will go a long way and help your professional career by making you a well-rounded person with good knowledge of the land and the people.

All in all, working overseas will benefit you in many ways, will help you grow as an individual and build long lasting relationships. A successful person will be one who will be able to take the best of both worlds i.e. utilize learnings from his home country and also be appreciative of lessons learnt in a foreign land. This will benefit you and make you stand out in your career.

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